News

On 27 January, the United Nations (UN) Security Council unanimously called upon all UN Member States to prevent terrorists from benefiting directly or indirectly from ransom payments. Lithuania joined the list of co-sponsors to the resolution 2133 on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. The resolution was proposed by the United Kingdom.

The adopted Security Council resolution also calls upon all Member States to secure safe release of hostages, and to co-operate closely during incidents of kidnapping and hostage taking, committed by terrorist groups. The resolution further calls upon close co-operation in connection with criminal investigations or criminal proceedings.

The resolution recognizes the need to continue expert discussions in the United Nations as well as in other international and regional organizations on additional steps to be taken to prevent kidnappings and terrorist financing by raising funds from ransom payments. The Security Council Counter-terrorism Committee, chaired by Lithuania, intends to organize an event at the United Nations to discuss this issue.

Kidnap for ransom becomes one of the most significant sources of terrorist financing. The UK Government estimates that over the last 3 years Al-Qaida affiliated and other Islamist extremist groups have collected more than 70 million USD in ransom payments – an average of 2.5 million USD per hostage. The overall number of kidnappings by terrorist groups, the number of terrorist groups involved in kidnappings as well as ransom payments per hostage is increasing. Moreover, the geographical distribution of phenomena is observed.